Toothpick holder



Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES HARRY R. SHIFFER, 0F BROWNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TOOTHPICK HGLDER.

Application liled August 1, 1928. Serial No. 296,735.

This invention relates to special receptacles and more particularly to a device of this character for holdingand dispensing tooth picks and similar articles.

One object of the invention is to provide a receptacle in which tooth picks may be stored and thereby protected from dust and kept sanitary.

Another object of the invention is to provide the receptacle with a cover having an outlet opening through which the tooth picks may pass one at a time and further to provide means within the receptacle for guiding tooth picks into position to pass through the outlet opening in the cover.

Another object of the invention is to form the cover with tongues disposed about the outlet opening so that, while an end portion of a tooth pick may easily pass through the outlet, it will be necessary to grasp the tooth pick and draw it through the opening thereby preventing the tooth picks from freely sliding entirely through the opening when the receptacle is tilted. This prevents likelihood of more than one tooth pick passing out of the receptacle when it is tilted and also prevents danger of the tooth picks sliding out of the opening and dropping upon a floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of this character which may be easily refilled or so formed that it may constiu tute the initial container for the tooth picks and be discarded when emptied,

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of the improved tooth pick holder;

Fig. 2 is a` top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section al view through the tooth pick holder;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the holder, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec* tional view through a modified form of holder.

The receptacle 1 of the holder may be formed of glass, china or any other materials desired if it is to be refilled or it may be formed of paper upon which an advertisement may be printed if it is to constitute an initial container for tooth picks and be discarded when emptied. The receptacle is open at its top and consists of a bottom 2 having upstanding walls 3 about its margins. While the receptacle has been shown circular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, it will be understood that Ait may be any shape in cross section desired. ln Fig. 3; the walls of the receptacle have been shown externally threaded adjacent the open upper end of the receptacle, as indicated at 4s, and this threaded upper end portion of the receptacle is screwed into the internally threaded annular flange 5 of a cover or top 6. The cover may be formed of metal or any other suitable material and is shaped to define a series of annular steps between the marginal flange 5 of the cover and an opening 7 which is formed centrally therein. It should also be noted that about the opening 7 which constitutes an outlet for` tooth picks in the receptacle the cover has been cut to provide a number of tongues 8 which converge towards the opening, as shown in Fig 2. It will thus be seen that, while the tapered end portion of a tooth pick may easily slide through the opening, the larger portion of the tooth pick will not be allowed to freely pass through this opening and it will be necessary to grasp the protrudL ing end -of the tooth pick and draw it through the opening. By this arrangement the tooth pick may be easily extracted after the recep taele has been inverted or tilted to a dispensing position but there will be no likelihood of tooth picks sliding freely through the opening and either too many tooth picks passing out of the holder or a tooth piek dropping from the holder upon the floor or into a dish upon a table and thereby becoming soiled or wasted by not being used.

llVhen the tooth pick holder is filled or only a few have been dispensed. they will easily be guided to the outlet opening by the steps of the cover but after a certain number have been dispensed they are liable to assume such angular relation to the axis of the receptacle that they will not easily pass into the opening. In order to guide the tooth picks into proper position for passing through the oi'nening, I employ strips 9 which are each of a width corresponding to the intern al diameter of the receptacle and are preferably of a length somewhat shorter than the depth of the receptacle. These disks are disposed in crossed relation to each other and since each is formed with a longitudinally extending slide l0 they may be interlocked in crossed relation to each other and fitted into the receptacle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This divides the receptacle into four compartments to receive tooth picks and when the receptacle is tilted a tooth pick in one of the compartments which is uppermost will be disposed close to the intersecting portions of the strips 9 and will be so disposed that its outer end WillV very easily pass through the outlet opening in the cover and can be grasped and the tooth pick entirely withdrawn. By this arrangement the tooth picks can be very easily dispensed even when only a Very few remain in the receptacle. Since the cover is threaded upon the receptacle, it can be removed and the receptacle refilled after' it has been emptied.

Some may desire to employ the dispensing receptacle as an initial container for tooth picks in which case the receptacle or body portion 1 Will be formed of cardboard or a likev substance which may have advertising matter printed thereon and the cover also formedof cardboard or cheap metal and permanently attached to the receptacle. This form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the cover is indicated by the nurmeral 11 and has its marginal flange 12 disposed about the yopen upper end of the receptacle 13 Where it is glued or otherwise permanently secured thereto. Strips 14, corresponding tothe strips 9are shown Within the receptacle 13 and each is formed with a slide l5 so that the strips may be interlocked -in the same manner as the strips shown in lFigs. 3 and t. It should also be noted that, if

` desired, these strips may have their outer ends vnotched, as shown at 16, so that the tooth picks may very easily pass through the opening 17 in the cover.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A tooth pick container and dispenser comprising ay receptacle open at its upper end, a. head for the upper end of said receptacle having an outlet opening formed therein, and means in the receptacle to guide tooth picks out of the receptacle through the outlet consisting of strips extending longitudinally Within the receptacle transversely ol" each other and intersecting in alinen'ient with the center of the outlet opening.

2. A tooth pick container and dispenser comprising a receptacle open at its upper end, a head for t-he upper end ot said receptacle, having an outlet opening formed therein, and mea-ns in the receptacle to guide tooth picks ,out of the receptacle through the outlet cousist-ing of strips extending longitiulinallv Within the receptacle, each strip being slotted from one end With the other strip fitting into its slot, the strips extending transversely ot' each other and at their intersection being a'lined With the outlet.

3. A tooth pick container and dispenser comprising a receptacle, ahead tor one end ol said receptacle having an outlet opening formed therein, and strips exteinling longitudinally within the receptacle and terminating in spaced relation to the outlet, .said strips intersecting each other in alinelnenl with the outlet opening and adapted to guide tooth picks towards the center ot the receptacle and out through the outlet.

In testimonyv whereotI l atiix my signature.

HARRY n. si-nrrnn. n.. 5.] 

